You don’t always have to be a ‘superwoman’… it’s far more crucial to learn how to protect your mental health and manage stress – we’ll give you a few tips on how.
The perception of being a “strong Black woman” is more than a societal cliché. As Black women, it’s easy to feel obligated to take on the superwomen role, projecting ourselves as strong, stress-free, and emotionless to cope with the stress of daily race and gender-based bias that we so often experience.
The urge to be perfect at home and work and putting others first all contribute to the chronic stress Black women face. Symptoms of this chronic stress include irritability, exhaustion, headaches, emotional eating, sleep issues, digestive issues, substance addiction, anxiety, and frequent colds or illnesses.
While all women suffer pressures, Linda Goler Blount, President and CEO of the Black Women’s Health Imperative (BWHI), maintains that “the disparities in the impact of stress on the health and well-being of Black women cannot be overlooked. There is a lot of stress in the lives of Black women, and their stories show that”.
And yes, there is a natural strength that we possess as women, but we deserve to live softly. Here are a few ways to help you get a handle of your stress.
5 UNIQUE WAYS TO MANAGE STRESS
It’s impossible to prevent all stress from coming into our lives, but the good news is that there are things you can do to lessen daily stress or at least help manage it better.
1) Learn To Say “No” and Find Balance
Black women nowadays have multiple responsibilities to fulfill, and because each role can be time-consuming, finding balance can be difficult. Finding balance is a never-ending process of learning. The most important thing to remember is that you should be patient with your own progress.
When you set boundaries people will test them. But you have to practice self-preservation and sometimes the best way to do this is by saying “no.” You can’t sacrifice your needs just to be amicable. “No” is a complete sentence…find power in that.
2) Light Some Candles
Candles are one of the simplest methods to create a calming ambience in your home; they provide light and warmth that instantly transform any area into something cozy. When essential oils are added to the wax, the resulting scent also helps to alleviate stress.
You simply need to choose fragrances that help with stress and anxiety, like relaxing lavender, energizing chamomile, sweet vanilla, fresh citrus scents, or purifying sage or eucalyptus.
3) Practice Bathtub Meditation
Meditation is a practice that can enhance stress relief and inner calm. One way to put it into your daily routine is to meditate in the bath. Having a bath while meditating can soothe fatigued muscles, calm the mind, and temporarily disengage your mind from tensions.
Also, it’s worthy to note that if sleep has eluded you over the last few days, a bath may help. At night, your body temperature decreases by a few degrees. Sitting in warm/hot water boosts your core temperature, yet it improves sleep when done 1-2 hours before bedtime.
4) Use Natural remedies to manage stress
Using natural remedies to relieve stress is a new fave that you might find helpful. One way to do that is to use CBD, or cannabidiol, a cannabinoid extracted from the cannabis plant. Many people are using CBD to relax and stay calm when they are going through a stressful time. Others say it helps them think more clearly and clear up their brain fog.
It’s been said that products like full-spectrum CBD oil, broad-spectrum CBD oil, CBD gummies, and more can help with everything from PTSD symptoms to blood pressure to stress.
Before you use CBD to deal with stress or generalized anxiety, think about seeing a doctor. While CBD may assist, a healthcare professional can get to the bottom of what is causing your excessive stress.
5) Don’t be afraid to get support
Black women often feel alone, especially when stressed and overwhelmed. It’s okay to get help. Reaching out for help can help you find solutions and clear your head. We recommend seeing professional help. A therapist can help you learn healthy ways to deal with emotional tension and help you figure out how to eliminate things in your life that cause stress.
And always remember, making self-care a priority isn’t selfish…it can be lifesaving.
